Assistant Sales Manager / Sales Manager — Outdoor Liner (Dubai, Deira)

Role purpose

Drive profitable growth for our container liner services by winning and expanding business with shippers, freight forwarders, and NVOCCs across priority trade lanes in the GCC and wider Middle East. This is a field-first, relationship-led role for a motivated closer who can build a high-quality book and defend margins through smart solutioning and disciplined follow-through.

Reporting & interfaces

• Reports to: Liner Sales Manager / Country Manager
• Works closely with: Trade/Line Management, Pricing, Customer Service & Documentation, Vessel Operations, Finance/Credit Control, Agency/Port Partners

Location

Dubai, UAE (regular client travel across the UAE/GCC)

Key responsibilities

• Build, manage, and expand a portfolio of shippers, forwarders, and NVOCCs; map buying centers and decision workflows.
• Conduct regular field visits, client reviews, and pipeline follow-ups to convert prospects and grow share of wallet.
• Promote our liner services and schedules on prioritized trade lanes; position value on reliability, transit, and network.

Cargo booking & contract negotiation

• Secure spot and nomination bookings; negotiate tenders, named-account agreements, and annual commitments.
• Align with Trade/Line and Pricing on rate levels, validity, surcharges, free time, and service terms; protect contribution.
• Ensure clean handover of confirmed bookings with all documentation and cut-off requirements met.

Market intelligence & competitive positioning

• Track lane demand/supply, schedule reliability, blank sailings, feeder connectivity, and competitor programs.
• Feed insights to Trade/Line and Pricing to inform rate actions, space allocations, BAF/CAF updates, and service tweaks.

Customer experience & retention

• Coordinate with Customer Service and Operations on equipment release, VGM/SI cut-offs, port/terminal processes, and on-time performance.
• Manage exceptions and service recovery communications; conduct quarterly business reviews with key accounts.

Forecasting, reporting & CRM discipline

• Maintain an accurate pipeline and activity log; submit weekly volume/revenue outlooks and win/loss analysis.
• Keep account plans, contact hierarchies, valid rates, and commitment trackers current and audit-ready.

Governance & risk

• Observe credit limits and payment terms; work with Finance on overdue management and exposure controls.
• Adhere to company policies and applicable trade, sanctions, and anti-corruption requirements.

Candidate profile

• Experience: 3–7 years in container shipping or liner sales within the GCC/Middle East, covering shipper, forwarder, and NVOCC segments.
• Network: Demonstrated relationships and access across target verticals and key logistics hubs in the region.
• Commercial skills: Strong negotiation, rate construction basics (all-in, surcharges, free time), and commitment management.
• Sales craft: Field-driven prospecting, disciplined follow-up, clear proposals, and confident executive conversations.
• Execution: High ownership, organized pipeline management, clean documentation handovers, and proactive exception handling.
• Communication: Clear, concise written and verbal communication; comfortable presenting schedules, routings, and service value.

What success looks like

• A healthy, growing portfolio delivering consistent weekly bookings on prioritized services and routings.
• High retention with expanded nominations and stable yields despite seasonal or competitive pressure.
• Clean CRM, reliable forecasts, and minimal escalations thanks to proactive client and internal coordination.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: AED8,000.00 - AED16,000.00 per month

Application Question(s):

• Please mention the salary you are targeting for this role?
• Do you have a notice period with your current employer? If yes, please specify the duration in weeks. If no, type '0'.